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February 3, 2012

From
the Managing Director

The new year is off and running with our January ski advertising in New York and Los Angeles netting a great response by increasing Web visits, winter vacation planner requests and social networking connections. And although Mother Nature has been a bit stingy so far this year, she kicked in with a wonderful snowstorm for the opening weekend of the Sundance Film Festival; and thanks to CNN, Access Hollywood and other media outlets visiting Park City for the festival, amazing Utah snow shots were featured everywhere!

Travelers in New York and Los Angeles viewed Utah's humorous snowflake commercials on local television stations as part of the Utah Office of Tourism's $1.2 million winter advertising campaign. The TV spots began airing in early January on WNBC and WABC in New York and KNBC and KABC in Los Angeles. Digital billboards in affluent areas of LA also ran Utah ads through the end of the month.
The Utah Office of Tourism is also focusing on increased social media efforts on YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, as well as other networks as part of the campaign that will run through February. YouTube-promoted videos of Utah will be displayed on relevant sections of the site. The spots can be viewed on the Office of Tourism's YouTube channel.

The Utah Office of Tourism invites the public to utilize the agency's social media channels to celebrate the 10-year anniversary of the 2002 Salt Lake Olympic Winter Games. The 'Share Your Olympic Memories Campaign' will run February 8-18, the dates the games were held around the state a decade ago.
The office plans to use the campaign to promote the many commemorative events planned during this time, including the Olympic Legacy Foundation's 'A Tribute to Salt Lake 2002 featuring Stars On Ice' February 18th.
Participants will be encouraged to share their experiences via stories, videos, and photos on UOT's 'Visit Utah' Facebook page. On Twitter (@VisitUtah), the "Top Tweet" that uses the official hashtag #SL2002 will be awarded a prize at the end of the campaign. Prizes include ski passes to resorts that hosted Olympic events – Snowbasin, Deer Valley, and Park City Mountain Resort – as well as special event passes, and more.

Fraser Bullock, former chief operating officer of the Salt Lake Organizing Committee (SLOC), and the Utah Olympic Legacy Foundation today announced that it will host a 10th anniversary celebration of the Salt Lake 2002 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games in February 2012.
"Serving as host for the highly successful 2002 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games played a vital role for Utah and its citizens," said Bullock. "They strengthened our local communities, created and upgraded world-renowned athletic venues, improved key transportation and communications infrastructure, and showcased Utah as a world-class athlete and tourist destination. This 10-year anniversary commemoration will celebrate these achievements, and highlight Utah's ongoing Olympic legacy and love for these globally unique Games."

In a first for the U.S., President Barack Obama announced a national strategy on travel and tourism to boost travel in the United States. The U.S. travel industry is a cornerstone of the U.S. economy, representing 1.8 trillion in economic output and supporting 14 million American jobs.
"The steps the president took today are significant and will boost travel to and within the United States. Most importantly, they will lead to new American jobs and get our economy moving," said Roger Dow, president and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association. "His timing could not be better. Travel is an essential industry for our nation and a bipartisan issue that can unite our country and rally us forward."

Twitter, the minimalist-format social network that claims to have 100 million users, has built its reputation around its simplicity. Members can post to the service only in text messages of 140 characters or less. They can include a link to another site, or to a photo or video. They can repost other users' messages on their own pages. They can send each other equally spartan private messages. That's about it — or so it seems.

The Utah Office of Tourism has discounted the price of the 2012 Scenic Calendar to $7.00 for the new year! Now in its 40th season, the annual award-winning publication highlights many of Utah's iconic destinations and stunning photography. If you have questions, please call the Utah Office of Tourism at
801-538-1900.
order online